How I was inspired by memories of JPR and the Welsh greats

Odd really how much you learn from looking back, especially in a week when everyone is busy looking forward, in this case either to the Six Nations or, more immediately, the crunch round of the Heineken Cup.

The last seven days have seen England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy selecting squads for the internationals, I've finally agreed to be with Wales, and I have been preparing Wasps for tomorrow's crucial fixture against Munster at Thomond Park.

Pretty hectic stuff and, no doubt, the base for another rise in the learning curve. But if the week has taught me anything it is to take strength from the past. History is not bunk.

First came the business of learning something of the history of Welsh rugby and listening to a couple of giants of the game - Gareth Edwards and John Taylor - explaining secrets of the team of the 1970s, the one that won three grand slams (1971, 76 and 78) and were also champions in 1969, 70 (with France), 75 and 79. Seven titles in 11 years is remarkable, especially when you consider the troubles in Ireland probably denied them another in 1972.

My mind still harbours television images of great attacking moves involving Barry John, Gerald Davies, JPR Williams and especially the length-of-the field run by Gareth against the Scots which ended in the quagmire where no grass grew in the corner of the Arms Park. However, Gareth was quick to point out that the success of the Welsh game lay elsewhere - in defence.

Before the Pontypool front row - the so-called Viet Gwent of Graham Price, Bobby Windsor and Charlie Faulkner - came on the scene, Wales had a pretty light pack, didn't win a lot of ball and therefore had to do a whole load of defending. According to Gareth, the game plan wasn't "attack, attack, attack" but "tackle, tackle, tackle" and from fantastic defence came the ball that allowed wings such as Davies, Maurice Richards and later JJ Williams to work their magic.

Those words are a treasure trove for a defence coach like me, especially one whose only link with Wales is a great-grandfather. But the point is hammered home by more recent evidence from the grand slam team of 2005 who won the title because, under my mate and coaching mentor Clive Griffiths, they conceded only 84 points in the championship.

And then came thoughts of Thomond.

Everyone knows about Thomond Park, the fortress in Limerick where Munster were unbeaten in 10 seasons until, as 2006 champions, they lost to Leicester a year ago. I have just one memory - of my first game as a coach with Wasps. We went there pre-season and within 20 minutes were more than 20 points down.

It may have been seven seasons ago but I can still remember thinking "He wasn't meant to do that", "That shouldn't have happened", "How did they do that?" and finally "This coaching lark is more difficult than I thought".

We learned, though, and learned again from watching Leicester win 13-6 last season. They were in Munster's faces from the start and didn't ease up. The Munster men weren't allowed to get up a head of steam, fuelled by the contrast of eerie silences granted penalty-kickers and the robust singing of Fields of Athenry and Stand Up and Fight, which had previously unhinged fancied sides like Sale and Gloucester (twice).

Just over a year ago the Guinness Premiership was derided by certain Welsh and Irish players. Then Wasps and Leicester got to the final. This time around there is a chance that English sides will bag all the home ties in the quarter-finals, so we must be doing something right, although we know Wasps have to apply those lessons from the past if we are to get through this time to continue the defence of our title.

But there is one other thing to mention about lessons of the past and that is that the best ones come from games that you win when all the odds seem stacked against you.

Setting cup finals aside, I'll bet that 90% of the best memories come from winning dogfights away from home. In Wasps' case, Perpignan (34-6) and Munster (37-32) at Lansdowne Road in 2004 and the almighty scrap against Castres (16-13) in 2007 where we tackled them to a standstill, holding out to near the end, on the way to a second Heineken title.

Yes, there is no doubt, memories aren't just for the past. They arm you to face the future.